Petunia plant named ‘Keisurflipinas’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Keisurflipinas’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; long flowering period; light pink-colored flowers with red purple-colored throats; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KEISURFLIPINAS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Keisurflipinas’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Katori, Chiba, Japan. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact and freely flowering Petuniaplants with early flowering habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Petunia plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation ofPetunia×hybrida ‘Keisurfpusos’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,838.The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on asingle flowering plant of ‘Keisurfpusos’ within a population of plantsof ‘Keisurfpusos’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Katori,Chiba, Japan in July, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Katori, Chiba, Japan since July, 2010 hasshown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Keisurflipinas’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Keisurflipinas’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. Light pink-colored flowers with red purple-colored throats.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the parent,‘Keisurfpusos’. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plantsof ‘Keisurfpusos’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are larger and have longer        internodes than plants of ‘Keisurfpusos’.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Petunia are shorter and broader        than leaves of plants of ‘Keisurfpusos’.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Keisurfpusos’ differ in flower        petal and throat color as plants of ‘Keisurfpusos’ have        purple-colored flower petals and throats.    -   4. Plants of the new Petunia have larger sepals than plants of        ‘Keisurfpusos’.    -   5. Plants of the new Petunia have longer and thicker peduncles        than plants of ‘Keisurfpusos’.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia‘Keisurfbripitos’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filedconcurrently. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Katori, Chiba,Japan, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Keisurfbripitos’ differedprimarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia had longer internodes than plants        of ‘Keisurfbripitos’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller flowers than plants of        ‘Keisurfbripitos’.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Keisurfbripitos’ differed in        flower petal and throat color as plants of ‘Keisurfbripitos’ had        red purple-colored flower petals with yellow-colored flower        throats.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Keisurflipinas’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Keisurflipinas’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the late summer and early autumnin 9-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Katori, Chiba, Japanand under cultural practices typical of commercial production. Duringthe production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 14° C. Plants were pinched one time and were fourmonths old when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Keisurflipinas’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Petunia×hybrida    ‘Keisurfpusos’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,838.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at            temperatures of 15° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at            temperatures of 15° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four            weeks at temperatures of 15° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures of 15° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, medium in thickness; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounding plant            habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches            developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch            development; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 18 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 29 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 16.7 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.2 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Roughly rhombic.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C; venation,            close to 144C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 144A; venation, close to 144C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 143C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit            typically with numerous flowers developing per plant;            flowers face upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of            the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about two to            three weeks after planting; long flowering period; flowering            commences naturally in late March, flowering continuous            throughout the summer until late October in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on            the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.4 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 2.1 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 4.4 mm.            Shape: Cylindrical; apex, twisted. Color: Close to 72B;            venation, close 6 to N79A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 1.4 cm. Petal width: About 1.4 cm. Petal shape:            Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Mucronate. Petal margin:            Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture:            Pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close            to 75B; venation, close to N81C. Petal, when opening, lower            surface: Close to 75C; venation, close to N81B. Petal, fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 75C; venation, close to 85A;            color becoming closer to N80C with development. Petal, fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 75D; venation, close to            N79B. Throat: Close to 72B; venation, close to 79A. Tube:            Close to N79D; venation, close to 79A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Tubular star-shaped calyx tube with five            sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 1.3 cm. Sepal            width: About 3.3 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly elliptic. Sepal            apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, immature and mature, upper            surface: Close to 137B. Color, immature and mature, lower            surface: Close to 137D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent; viscid.            Color: Close to 143C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Anther size: About 0.8 mm by 0.8 mm. Anther shape: Roughly            round. Anther color: Close to 98B. Pollen amount: Moderate.            Pollen color: Close to 98B. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            One. Pistil length: About 1.3 cm. Style length: About            1.2 cm. Style color: Close to N144D. Stigma shape: Roughly            round. Stigma color: Close to 103A. Seeds and fruits: Seed            and fruit development have not been observed on plants of            the new Petunia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named‘Keisurflipinas’ as illustrated and described.